Hawkeye Fan Shop — A Black & Gold Store | 24 Hawkeyes to Watch 2016-17 | Hawk Talk Monthly — March | March 17-19 Hawkeye Invitational
This Week
The University of Iowa softball team opens its home slate on Friday at 5 p.m. (CT) against Valparaiso in game one of the Hawkeye Invitational. Iowa is slated to play Valparaiso, South Dakota, Creighton, and South Dakota State in the three-day tournament.
Streaming/Live Stats
- Iowa’s games on Saturday and Sunday will be live streamed on BTN Plus. Fans can also watch those games on BTN2Go. The games on both Friday and Monday will be available on Hawkeye All-Access. A direct link is on the softball schedule page on hawkeyesports.com.
- Live stats for each contest is on the softball schedule page on hawkeyesports.com.
Follow the Hawkeyes
For all of the latest news and information on Iowa softball, visit hawkeyesports.com. Fans can also follow the program on its social media outlets at Facebook.com/iowahawkeyessoftball and @iowasoftball on Twitter and Instagram.
Season Tickets
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit hawkeyesports.com/tickets, call the ticket office at 1-800-IA-HAWKS or visit the ticket office located in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Fans who purchase a season ticket will receive a special edition Iowa softball blanket. Tickets start at just $12.
Homeward Bound
After six weeks on the road to open the season, Iowa returns home to play on Pearl Field in its home opener against Valparaiso on Saturday. Following the Hawkeye Invitational, Iowa kicks off conference play as it hosts Illinois in a three-game series March 24-26.
Ranked Foes
- Six of Iowa’s 2017 opponents are currently ranked in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll: Florida (1), Washington (6), Minnesota (9), California (20), Arizona State (22), and Wisconsin (23). Ohio State and Missouri also received votes.
- Six foes are ranked in the USA Today/NFCA poll: Florida (2), Washington (6), Minnesota (8), Arizona State (21), California (23), Wisconsin (24). Missouri also received votes.
Mullarkey’s Madness
- Kaitlyn Mullarkey leads Iowa in: batting average (.283), runs (8), hits (15), and doubles (5). She is tied for the lead in RBIs (6).
- With her home run against Virginia Tech, Mullarkey now has 16 career home runs to tie for 13th in program history.
Hot Start
- Freshman pitcher Allison Doocy had five strikeouts over 7.0 innings in her first outing against Abilene Christian on Feb. 10.
- The Ankeny, Iowa, native had a career-high seven strikeouts in 4.0 innings against Texas Tech on Feb. 11. She leads the team with 30 strikeouts this season.
I’ll Take Pratt
- Cheyenne Pratt is 5-5 in swiping stolen bases this season, which is a personal-best single season mark. She is a perfect 11-11 in her career.
- Pratt had a career-high two stolen bases against Texas Tech.
Rockin’ Rozier
- Brooke Rozier hit her second triple of the season against No. 20 Arizona State. The redshirt freshman is two triples away from landing in the top 20 in single season triples.
- Rozier’s home run against Kansas (March 12) was the second of her career.
- With five extra-base hits, Rozier leads the team with a .467 slugging percentage.
Hot Hitting Thompson
- Lea Thompson leads the team with four sacrifice hits.
- The freshman has reached base in five consecutive games, which includes going 3-for-3 in the doubleheader against Missouri on March 15.
- Thompson hit her first triple of the season against the Tigers.
Valparaiso
- Valpo is 10-4 after a 5-2 victory over Alabama State on March 12 at the Leon Smith Classic. The Crusaders are on a four-game winning streak.
- Valpo ranks sixth in the nation in double plays per game (0.64) and 25th in home runs per game with 1.00.
- Iowa is 1-0 against the Crusaders after securing an 8-0 victory in five innings on Feb. 28, 2014.
South Dakota
- South Dakota is 7-14 after dropping an 8-0 decision to No. 7 Minnesota on March 12 in the Husky Classic.
- The Coyotes are No. 77 in the nation with a 0.296 batting average.
- The Hawkeyes hold a 6-0 lead over South Dakota. Iowa last swept a doubleheader on March 20, 2011 with a 10-0 decision in game one and a 9-1 decision in game two.
Creighton
- Creighton holds a 6-13 record following a 4-0 loss to UNLV on March 7.
- The Bluejays rank No. 78 in the nation with 0.37 double plays per game.
- Iowa is 8-21 all-time against Creighton. Iowa secured a 2-1, eight-inning victory in the last meeting on May 17, 2008.
South Dakota State
- SDSU is 12-14 after falling 4-3 to SIU Edwardsville on March 12 at the USF-Under Armour Invitational.
- Ali Herdliska is No. 22 in the nation with nine doubles.
- The Hawkeyes lead the series 7-0 after securing a 4-1 victory in the last meeting on March 23, 2007.
In the Rankings – B1G
- Three Big Ten teams are currently ranked in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll. Minnesota leads the league at No. 9, while Michigan is No. 17. Wisconsin rounds out the rankings at No. 23. Ohio State received votes.
- Three Big Ten teams are ranked in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches poll. Minnesota lands at No. 8, while Michigan is ranked 19th and Wisconsin is No. 24.
A Challenging Schedule
Iowa’s 2017 schedule includes 12 opponents who reached the 2016 NCAA Regionals, three of which also reached the 2016 Super Regionals. Texas State, Florida, Fresno State, Washington, Arizona State, Cal, Missouri, Illinois, Nebraska, Minnesota, Western Illinois and Northwestern all reached Regionals, while Florida, Washington and Missouri each advanced to the Super Regionals.
In the Record Books
Kaitlyn Mullarkey hit nine homeruns in the 2016 season, which tied for eighth in program history.
With 16 career blasts, Mullarkey is tied for 13th on Iowa’s all-time career home run list. Her next home run will move her into a tie for 10th in program history.
Around the Big Ten
- Iowa leads the conference in double plays per game with a 0.63 average.
- The Hawkeyes are No. 6 in triples per game (0.13).
- Brook Rozier ranks second in triples (2) and fourth in sacrifice hits per game (0.19).
In the Nation
- Iowa’s 0.63 double plays per game rank 8th in the nation.
- Redshirt freshman Brook Rozier is No. 54 in the nation with 0.13 triples per game.
Power Surge
After registering 11 extra-base hits in all of 2015 (59 games), junior Kaitlyn Mullarkey tallied 21 in 48 games in 2016. This season, Mullarkey recorded three doubles in the first four games. She currently has five doubles and one home run.
Increased Speed
- After stealing 18 bags in all of 2015, Iowa swiped 51 bases in 52 games during the 2016 season.
- Junior Kaitlyn Mullarkey led the team with 13 stolen bases. Of those 51 stolen bases, returnees stole 39. The Hawkeyes have 14 stolen bases in 2017.
Experienced Lineup
- The Hawkeyes return 14 letterwinners and 10 players who started over 30 games from the 2016 season.
- All five pitchers from the 2016 season return.
- During the 2016 season, Kaitlyn Mullarkey racked up 44 hits and a team-high 38 runs in 154 at-bats. She tied a team-high 11 doubles and led the team with nine home runs for a team-best .571 slugging percentage. The nine home runs tied for eighth all-time in a single season. In addition, Mullarkey led the team with a .418 on-base percentage. The Park Ridge, Illinois, native had a team-high 13 stolen bases on 15 attempts. Defensively, she started every game at first base and led the team with 321 putouts and chipped in 25 assists.
- After a solid freshman season, sophomore Mallory Killian is poised to help the Hawkeyes during the 2017 season. Kilian split time between third base and designated player last year and amassed 24 hits and 12 runs in 93 at-bats. She also chipped in four doubles and four home runs for a .430 slugging percentage. Defensively, Kilian tallied 15 putouts and 24 assists.
- Angela Schmiederer split time between catcher and outfielder as a sophomore. She amassed 29 hits and 15 runs in 114 at-bats. She also chipped in eight doubles and three home runs for a .404 slugging percentage.
New Faces
- Iowa added eight freshmen to its squad for the 2017 season.
- Devin Cantu played three seasons at Cedar Hill High School and was a three-time first team all-district selection. As a junior, Cantu was named Offensive Player of the Year.
- Havyn Monteer played at Boonville R-1 High School in Missouri and holds school records for most at bats (323), runs (144), hits (154), singles (103), and stolen bases (97) in a career.
- Taylor MaKowsky played at Klein Oak High School in Klein, Texas, and was a three-time all-district selection, which included first team honors as a senior.
- Lea Thompson played for Scecina Memorial High School in Indianapolis, Indiana. She was a three-time all-conference selection and earned the team’s Offensive Player of the Year award as a sophomore and junior.
- Taylor Libby competed at West High School in Iowa City. She hit .440 as a junior with 16 doubles and four home runs and currently holds the school record for doubles (16) and RBIs (45) in a single season.
- Allison Doocy played at Ankeny High School where she set the Iowa State Tournament strikeout record in 2015 with 33 strikeouts in three state tournament games. She holds the school record for strikeouts in a single season (233).
- McKenzie Schneider played at Carroll Senior High School where she batted .397, scored 110 runs, drove in 103 runs and posted a .460 on-base percentage. She hit .435, blasted seven home runs, notched 40 RBIs, and scored a team-high 50 runs as a senior.
Back in Black (and Gold)
- Megan Blank enters her first season as a volunteer assistant coach. She joins the Hawkeyes after two seasons with the Chicago Bandits of the National Pro Fastpitch Association and one season as a volunteer assistant at Northwestern. Blank, who recently signed for her third season with the Bandits, was one of the most decorated softball players in Iowa’s history.
- Blank, a four-time All-Big Ten first team selection, had a standout career with the Hawkeyes. Blank played and started at shortstop in every game of her collegiate career. She broke or tied five school records and finished in the top 10 in 12 statistical records.
Other Staff Additions
Daniel Gratz has joined the University of Iowa softball staff as the director of operations.
Gratz joins the Hawkeyes after spending three seasons as head coach at Cedar Rapids Kennedy High School. He also worked as assistant coach this past season for John Wood Community College.
His accomplishments at Kennedy led Gratz to be named 2016 Conference Coach of the Year (Missouri Valley Conference) and 2016 District Coach of the Year (Iowa 5A – East District).
The Dugout
The Hawkeyes will once again produce their blog, The Dugout, for the 2017 season. The blog will provide fans the opportunity to connect with the student-athletes, coaches, staff and alumni around the Hawkeye softball program. The Dugout aims to deliver a unique insight into the lives of the Iowa softball team. Each week, The Dugout will feature a different softball student-athlete, coach or alum. To see the latest post, visit hawkeyesports.com.
Hawkeye Tradition
Iowa has made four Women’s College World Series appearances (1995, 1996, 1997, 2001) and played in 16 NCAA Tournaments in school history. The 16 appearances are the second most in Big Ten history, and the four WCWS appearances equal the second most in conference history. The Hawkeyes have won four Big Ten Conference regular season championships (1989, 1997, 2000, 2003) and two Big Ten Tournament titles (2001, 2003).